27 July 2011

Kosovo's special police forces that moved into the country's disputed north overnight to extend the government's writ at borders with Serbia will withdraw as part of a deal between Kosovo and Serbia and mediated by NATO, a spokesman for the military alliance said Tuesday.
The overnight operation by Kosovo's special police units was criticized by the European Union, which is currently mediating normalization talks between the former foes, and is likely to inflame tensions in the region that remains disputed over a decade after the end of Kosovo's war.
Lightly armed special police units in riot gear crossed into the Serb-dominated area and took control of one border post, before being blocked by local Serbs on the way to the other crossing point.
One police officer was wounded during the police operation launched late Monday, said police spokesman Brahim Sadriu.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Serbia has said it will not recognize the new state and Serbs living in Kosovo's north do not recognize Pristina's authority over them.
Kosovo government officials defended the overnight operation as an attempt to restore order in the north.